Back in the Ranger game!

[RayInStl]

Hey everyone. I used to be pretty active here until a rusted frame finally took my beloved farm truck Ranger off the road. I've been keeping a loose eye on Facebook Marketplace ever since.

Yesterday morning this 83 4x4 4 speed long bed showed up in my feed for the princely sum of $1,000. The original engine had a washed cylinder and was pulled and a running 2.3L from a mustang purchased, but never put in. The listing was posted over a week before I saw it and the truck looked like it was in pretty good shape, so I was surprised when the the seller responded that it was still available and had a clean title. I couldn't hook up my trailer fast enough. I need another project like I need a hole in the head, but how do I pass that up?

I went and picked her up just before the rain really started to come down. So you'll be seeing me around the forums again

 

[Uncle Gump]

Nice...

Glad to see you're back in the game.

 

[RobbieD]

That is a nice truck. Good score!

Don't cut that dash for a DIN radio. Intact 3-hole radio dash tim panels are getting really scarce.

 

[RayInStl]

Don't cut that dash for a DIN radio. Intact 3-hole radio dash tim panels are getting really scarce.

I'll probably end up hiding a modern head unit somewhere. I listen to Spotify with my phone's Bluetooth anyway, so I don't need to have direct access to the radio controls other than volume. But most cheap head units come with remotes and support steering wheel buttons, so I can come up with a clever way to control that.

Good point though!

 

[Terrys87]

That is a clean little truck. Great find!!!

 

[Josh B]

Hello Ray, Glad you're back man

 

[Kelvinf]

Welcome . Nice find. What is peaking out to the left?

 

[SenorNoob]

That reminds me very much of my first Ranger. It's in quite a bit better shape tho.

 

[RayInStl]

Thanks guys. It's good to be back.

Welcome . Nice find. What is peaking out to the left?

That's my 66 Austin Healey Sprite. I'm hoping to have it on the road some time this year.

Jeep for scale, lol.

 

[Kelvinf]

Thanks guys. It's good to be back.



That's my 66 Austin Healey Sprite. I'm hoping to have it on the road some time this year.

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Jeep for scale, lol.

Very nice sir.

 

[Uncle Gump]

In my best Chris Farley voice...

Big guy in a little car.

 

[RayInStl]

Haha yeah, they didn't change the name to "midget" in 69 for nothing!

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I'll probably end up hiding a modern head unit somewhere. I listen to Spotify with my phone's Bluetooth anyway, so I don't need to have direct access to the radio controls other than volume. But most cheap head units come with remotes and support steering wheel buttons, so I can come up with a clever way to control that.

Good point though!

Retro sound head units have the knobs and old school looking displays that will work with that dash.

85-86 (IIRC) dash panels are a direct swap with your cluster. Later ones have a big opening for the message center as opposed to the four windows like the earlier trucks.